We've all heard of anime focusing on one sport or another, the so-called "sports-themed" anime. It depends on the particular series whether we like them or not, but have you ever wondered what makes an anime a sports one? Let me give you the basics.

The Basic Characters
Don't get me wrong. Every anime has unique characters, but they usually fall under several categories. These categories include: The Hero, The Best Friend(s), The Love Interest, and The Rival.

The story revolves around the Hero. He is sometimes arrogant and thinks he can do no wrong. However, his foolishness often gets him into humiliating yet hilarious situations.

The Best Friend (s) is the one who backs the Hero up. When the Hero gets himself into a fight or into some other kind of trouble. He can always count on his Best Friend to bail him out of it. The Best Friend isn't just a support system though. He also makes fun of the Hero when he screws up. Hanamichi Sakuragi's friends from Slam Dunk come to mind. They make fun of him when he gets kicked out of a game, but they never fail to show up when needed.

The Love Interest comes next. Most of the time she's someone the Hero considers a friend and secretly likes. Sometimes, the Hero and Love Interest have a love-hate relationship. They keep on bickering, but in reality they're in love with each other.

The Rival is a crucial character in sports-themed anime. He sets the standard that the Hero must reach or even surpass. He is not necessarily a bad person and is usually a bishounen. In some cases, the Hero and the Rival also compete for the affection of the Love Interest. Tatewaki Kuno from Ranma 1/2 is a good example. He is Ranma's biggest competition, and he likes Akane who happens to be Ranma's fiancée.

The Other Lead
Aside from the Hero, there's also another main character in "sports-themed" anime. The sport itself. Soccer, basketball, baseball, and martial arts are common examples. However, the sport doesn't have to be a real one. Various examples include Beyblade, Cooking Master Boy, and Super Yoyo.

Magical Skills
When the series begins, the Hero is clueless about the sport. He starts training either by finding a wise teacher or by joining a team. He goes through rigorous training, but something quite unexpected happens... The Hero's surprising yet brilliant skills begin to emerge in a short span of time. He's a natural! This is usually the period where the Hero hears wise words that don't make sense at all.

Competition and Flashbacks
The contest or tournament that the Hero and/or his team must win begins. For some reason, it always seems to be their "last chance," making things all the more exciting. When the competition begins, the Hero freezes up. He has no idea what to do, and it seems that he's going to lose. But then the Hero remembers the wise words from his training. Everything starts making sense. That's what we call a flashback! The Hero recovers and he emerges victorious.

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